Fugitives: Of Light and Darkness
by xXEBONYMAYXx
Summary: Ebony – Marik and Ryou come across the millennium items which turn their lives, upside down. With the police force after them, and the protectors of the items, where do they run too? WARNING – CHARACTER DEATH/VIOLENCE   AU I think
1. Prologue

Fugitives: Of Dark and Light

Summary – Marik and Ryou come across the millennium items which turn their lives, upside down. With the police force after them, and the protectors of the items, where do they run too? WARNING – CHARACTER DEATH/VIOLENCE

Genre – Adventure/?

Rating – T

Characters – Ryou .B & Marik .I

DISCLAIMER – I DO NOT ANYTHING YU-GI-OH! RELATED OR YU-GI-OH! IT SELF FOR THAT MATTER.

PROLOGUE – At The Beginning…

AUTHORESS – EBONY

Ebony - Yep! This is Ebony writing this fic, this is the first fan fic I'm writing by myself! ((YAY)) My friend May will probably be just as surprised as you when she finds out that I've ACTUALLY to post this fic ((surprising myself)) since were writing a fic together at the moment for Pandora Hearts. I apologize if the chapters are a bit short, but with time and practise, they should start to get longer: D. Anyway, enough of my notes, please enjoy the prologue!

_

* * *

_

_Solomon knew that Yuugi was special the very day he was born. He knew from the way that the millennium puzzle glowed its golden light on its intricately carved, Egyptian pedestal, on the weeks leading up to his grandson's birth. He knew that this small boy would grow up to have a very big destiny. _

'_He will make a fine protector one day…' Solomon thought as he smiled down at the little Yuugi, who was reaching for the greying bangs that fell around his wrinkling face. _

_Solomon carried Yuugi into the basement of his home, he walked over to the secret trap door hidden by the various merchandise that cluttered the ground, making it almost impossible to step without tripping over a soft plushie, or a box of trading cards that were going to put on the shelves tomorrow morning. This was a trap door that only the Mouto family had any idea about. He slowly climbed down the steep wooden steps, taking care that he did not slip, stumble or fall. Solomon strode over to the magnificent display of millennium items where the Millennium puzzle glowed curiously, lighting the room and making the light fittings in the room appear unnecessary in comparison to the light the puzzle provided. _

_Even Solomon, who had great knowledge of the ancient scriptures and relics that surrounded the millennium items, couldn't work out what the strange glowing signified. Solomon sighed and walked over to the display, trying to once again decipher why exactly it had begun to glow on the weeks leading to Yuugi's birth. _

_Yuugi stopped reaching for Solomon's hair as they neared the millennium puzzle, the golden light getting stronger and stronger, blinding almost. _

_Solomon shielded his eyes against the harsh light and was about to curse when he remembered that the young Yuugi lay in his arms. The small child's arms out-stretched to the light. _

_The light became blinding at that moment, Solomon covered his grandson's eyes, not wanting Yuugi to come to any harm so soon. When the light began to fade, Solomon opened his eyes and patiently waited for his eyes to adjust to the change in light. _

_When Solomon could finally see again, he looked upon the pedestal, there was another child there, sleeping peacefully with the puzzle around his small neck. _

_He looked exactly like Yuugi. _

_Yuugi was also wearing the puzzle, which was impossible, since only one of each millennium item existed in the whole world, but both the puzzle and Yuugi seemed to have been replicated. Two, almost perfect copies. _

_Solomon stood for some time, mouth agape, not quite knowing what to do. So he did the only thing he could do. He scooped up the sleeping child who had appeared beside one of the seven, ancient, dark items, and slowly walked towards back towards the steps, leading out of the basement. He decided on impulse to call the child Yami, which meant Dark, after the dark past of the millennium items, and the dark things they kept sealed away. He would raise Yuugi and Yami as brothers, they would keep each other company, Solomon smiled at the thought. He had always been an only child himself, and had dreamed of having a brother. _

_He walked up the stairs to the newly decorated nursery and lay down the two small children smiling as he watched over the two, sleeping peacefully. _

_

* * *

__Two months later, Solomon descended to basement to find that the golden light was once again enveloping the room. Yet this time, it was the millennium ring's turn. Solomon checked through the Mouto family to see if there were to be any more children, but there were none, and Solomon felt just as confused as he had been the time the millennium puzzle began to shine. _

_Not long following it, the rod also began to glow but Solomon ignored it, not knowing what else to do. _

_

* * *

_Ebony – Well… do you like? Please R&R, any criticisms', hints, tips, any feed back at all will be helpful and will speed up my writing, lengthen it, AND hopefully bring up the quality. I'll try to update soon and thank you for reading : )


	2. Visions Of Things To Come

**Fugitives: Of Light and Darkness**

**Chapter 1 – Visions of things to come**

Authoress - EBONY

Disclaimer – Yu-Gi-Oh! Belongs to Kazuki Takahashi, therefore, I unfortunately don't own it.

Ebony – Let's see how I can do on this chapter…: D Oh, I forgot to mention this in the last chapter but I'll be giving the Yami's there own bodies and MARIK, is hikari Marik, if/when I introduce his darker half, I will name him Mariku : P This story is a random idea that developed in my mind one late night when I was almost asleep, so not all of the finer points have been thought of yet... they are still lurking somewhere in the back of my mind...

I don't know when the next update will be because I am drowning in my homework T_T but I'll try my best to post as quickly as I can manage XD … now, on with the story…

* * *

**RYOU'S POV**

My eyes snapped open as the alarm clock sounded, its loud ringing filling my thoughts as I left my dream state, adrenaline coursing through my limbs and fear making my heart beat at such a rate I was afraid it was going to burst from my body.

"Another nightmare…" I said to no-one but myself as I sat up and tried to remember what it had been about.

I remembered a few small snippets from this nightmare, a bright gold light, all my dreams seemed to start that way, a bright gold light, it filled me with hope, only to be destroyed when the light was replaced by an ominous purple.

Then there was blood, so much of it… and I felt like everyone was watching me, as if it was my fault, blurred faces who I know I should recognise surrounding me.

I looked at the clock, 6:31; I turn the alarm off and get up. Stumbling into the kitchen to find something to eat, I rifle through the cupboards and pull out a box of cereal bars, going through what I'll need to take to school today in my head.

I tick off my mental check list as I pour myself a cup of tea, its sunny outside today, which lifts my mood a bit since it has rained every day for the past week, hopefully it's a good omen.

After finishing breakfast, I walk through my lonely apartment, getting everything ready for school, filling in the last few questions for the maths homework I really couldn't be bothered doing last night. Not really concentrating on the minute tasks that I have been repeating every morning for the past few years, allowing my mind to wander on a journey of its own.

I've lived on my own since my mother and sister died, my father; a famous archaeologist is never home. He kind of became a workaholic after mum died; he focuses only his job now. I see him for a few days around Christmas, sometimes around my birthday, and if I'm lucky, I might see him for a day or two in the summer. But apart from those rare times, I live here on my own. Shopping, cleaning, and cooking for myself.

I do begrudge my father for leaving me, (who wouldn't?) and sometimes things can get tense between us, he's not the only one who grieves, but he was meant to be there for me, I seem to be forgotten to him, another reminder of lives that ended before their time.

While thinking about all this, I had absentmindedly readied myself for school, and was now stood just outside the front door of my apartment, keys in hand, about ready to lock the door.

"RYOU!"

I fell to the floor with a thud as Marik ploughed into me.

"Sorry, I couldn't stop in time." Marik sounded out of breath; he'd obviously been running for some, unknown reason. He was grinning and brushing himself off from the tumble.

"It's fine!" I laughed, Marik was a fast runner but found it next to impossible to know when to apply the breaks. I got up and re-saddled my school bags, looking around me to see if anything might have fallen out.

Marik picked up a stray pen that had fallen from my pocket and handed it to me.

"Thanks." I grinned.

Marik and I have been friends since the beginning of high school. No-body else seemed to bother much with the foreign students. Did I mention I was originally born in England? I guess not. Anyway, with no-one else that interested in becoming friends with us, we kind of got stuck with each other and are now the best of friends. Yuugi, a really short guy from school, has always been a nice kid, but I've never really felt welcome with the rest of his group, like an outsider.

Marik didn't get on with them any better than I did. In fact I would say he got on worse than I did when it almost came to a punch up between himself and Joey. We went back to doing our own thing after that day.

"So, how has life treated you this morning?" I asked the Egyptian as we walked to school.

"Same as usual, Odion had a go at me for doing my math homework this morning instead of last night; he kept going on about how I was going to be late meeting you."

That sounded about right. Everything seemed normal in the Ishtar house.

"So, what about you?" Curiosity and sympathy flashed in his eyes, "Did you have any more nightmares last night?"

I sighed, he always knew when I'd had a bad nights sleep. "Yeah, I did, it was more vivid than usual, more colourful. But I can't remember any more than usual stuff I've told you." I frowned, trying to remember from my dreams,

Marik nodded. "Maybe they mean something, I mean, well, you've been having this dream for ages now, it could be a warning."

I chuckled, "Or it could just be my warped imagination."

Marik smiled, "Or that, you do have a _very _warped imagination."

I noticed Yuugi and Yami leaving the Kame game shop as we walked by, they were almost identical, and you have thought they were twins if it were not for the fact that Yami had experienced a growth spurt in his second year of high school. Yami also seemed to be the more cooler, more mature of the two.

10 minutes later, Marik and I arrived at Domino high; we evaded an over-enthusiastic teacher who had only just started her career this September.

"What do you have first lesson?" Marik questioned.

"Uhm…" I pulled my timetable out of my pocket and skimmed over it, "Well, I have maths first with the new teacher, followed by R.E. with ."

"Lucky you!" Marik chuckled, enjoying my misfortune. The new teacher's enthusiasm is exhausting, and Dartz seems to scare everyone, even the tough guys.

"Looks like I'm not going to get a chance to regain any lost sleep this morning." I groaned. The shrill bell rang through the school. "And now my torture begins, see you later!" I grinned.

* * *

**MATHS –**

I could feel my eyelids drooping, I slumped forward and tried my best to remain awake as the teacher babbled endlessly about algebra, I lifted my head to look around the class, noticing I wasn't the only one drifting off. The teacher seemed oblivious that her class was slowly dying, too consumed in her love for mathematics.

I rested my head on the desk, wondering how much longer I would have to bear this torture for, I could tell I was falling deeper into the thick layers of sleep, no matter how hard I try to cling onto the ledges of reality.

_That feeling of dread, fear, death…_

I jerked up from chair with such force I fell over; my breath was coming out in gasps from the fear pulsing through my veins, and my face beginning to flush in embarrassment as I felt the eyes of my class turn to me.

"Are you quite alright Bakura?" The teacher grinned down at me; she was next to me and leaning down, intruding on my personnel space.

My blush deepened, some where across the room I heard Joey and Tristan chuckle. I let my long, white hair fall in front of my eyes so I wouldn't have to look anyone in the eye.

"I'm quite fine now thank you miss." I pulled myself up, whilst staring at the floor I picked up my chair that was lying on its side. I plonked myself down on my chair and held my head in my hands; I seriously hope I didn't sleep talk or anything weird like that.

"You would do well not to sleep in my lesson, now if you could answer this question for me…" She went and pointed to a ridiculously hard question she had written on the board, while still smiling.

I groaned, and the class laughed as I stood up, now in view of the whole class as I walked to front of the class. I scowled at the teacher as I picked up the pen.

I stared at the equation for what seemed like forever, hoping that it would miraculously solve itself.

_An ominous purple cloud-like tentacle stretched out from no-where…_

The pen fell from my shaking hand; the purple vanished as quickly as it had come.

"Bakura? Are you sure your alright?" Her voice was laced with concern.

"I'm sure miss thank you," another flash of purple from behind the teacher sent shivers down my spine, "I'm… I'm just feeling a little unwell, that's all…"

I went to go and sit back down with out waiting to be told. I waited out the rest of the lesson, it passed so slowly. From time to time, people would look back to where I sat, lost in my thoughts. I could hear the whispers that swept around the classroom, and it was a blessing when the bell went to signify the next lesson. I left the room before anyone could speak to me or stop me.

* * *

**MARIKS POV**

I walked out of I.C.T. feeling dead from boredom; I lugged my school bag onto my shoulder and slumped to my next class. Out of no-where, Ryou came tearing down the corridor, shoving pupil out the way.

"RYOU!" I shouted, but my calls didn't seem to reach him. Cursing, I ran down the corridor after him.

What could have happened to make him act like that? I ignored the cries of my colleagues as I pushed and shoved to keep up with Ryou.

I slammed into a wall as he took a sharp corner, I was the faster, but Ryou was usually the more nimble of the two of us.

"RYOU!" I called again, but he carried on. If he heard me, he ignored my calls and continued.

I followed as he turned yet another corner, I realised that he was heading for the nearest exit. Praying we wouldn't run into any teachers, I yelled his name once more,

"BAKURA!"

Ryou turned around for a split second as he heard his name; scanning the busy corridors for his pursuer, with those big, fear filled chocolate orbs of his. However, his eyes did not find me in the sea of pupils all rushing to their next subject and he ran on.

I swore and pushed Joey out of the way as I bolted after Ryou.

"HEY, LOOK WHERE YAH GOING!" he shouted so I sent him death glares as I tore up the corridor.

Finally, I burst out of the double doors of Domino High and sprinted across the deserted car park.

"Ryou…" I gasped, clamping my hand on his shoulder so he couldn't run any more. "Ryou, what's… what's wrong?"

I took a better look at his face, studying his features as if they might tell me. His eyes were wide and looked right through me, his shoulder was shaking beneath my hand and his mind seemed else where.

"Ryou, what's up?" I said, my voice sounding sterner than usual, I seemed to be catching Ryou's fear.

No answer, he just shook his head, it was if he couldn't speak. I was wondering what could be going on inside that head of his to make him act so, strange, terrified, it didn't make sense… Unless the new teacher really was as bad as new teachers get.

Suddenly Ryou leapt back dragging me with him. "RYOU! STOP, WHERE ARE WE GOING?"

He dragged me over behind a big car and slumped down next to it. He was seriously scaring me; I'd never seen him act like this.

He took a few shaky breaths and began to tell me what had happened in his last lesson.

"…I don't know what came over me… I just, bolted, I had to get outside, see the sun… Do you think I'm going crazy?" He finished.

I stared at him. I really don't know what he expected me to say, he certainly looked and sounded like your average loony, his white hair had become wild from running and his eyes darted from one place to another every so often.

"I… I don't know…" I whispered.

Ryou's eyes sank to the ground; I don't judge him for being so scared, from what he has told me.

Voices jerked me from my thoughts as I tried to imagine what Ryou might have been seeing. I peered through the windows of the car, hoping to get a better look at who else apart from us was disturbing the peace of the normally deserted car park.

Yami and Yuugi were striding across the car park, looking around every so often, as if to check that no-one was following them. I watched them curiously, Yami was talking into a mobile phone, and I noticed that his necklace seemed, well, a bit off-colour to be honest, a purple-ish shroud surrounding it. I wondered if that's what Ryou meant.

"Ryou, I can see Yami and Yuugi over there."

* * *

**RYOU'S POV**

I stood up and looked over Marik's shoulder, Yami was surrounded in the purple stuff, it seemed to be emanating from him, as if he was a part of the darkness himself. The shadows seemed to hunger for him and he left a trail of shadows as he walked that evaporated after a second of being away from him.

He turned to face Yuugi, and that's when I saw the puzzle, it was pouring darkness, it appeared to be the centre of the evil and also intangibly connected to Yami somehow. _How ironic, _I thought, that he would be surrounded by the shadows and his own name meaning dark…

I shuddered, what if Yami is the meaning for all my hallucinations? What if it's Yami that's behind my nightmares, the nightmares that keep me up all night in fear of what I might see, what if he's the problem… what he wasn't here to cause the problems anymore… NO, these kind of thoughts are going to drive me more insane than already am, I don't want to end up doing something I might regret.

I held my head in my hands, not wanting to look anymore, too ashamed of my own mind.

I tried to push the evil thoughts that invaded me mind away, but they just kept coming back, throwing me off with their rhetorical questions.

"Let's follow them." Marik whispered. "I want to see what their up to, Yuugi never skives, let's see what their up to."

"Marik! They've got nothing to do with us, what if its something like… I dunno', like if their grandpa had a heart attack or something? I'd feel so bad intruding on that…" That was a huge lie, I wanted to follow them so badly, to see find a reason that would condemn Yami of my misery, or at least find out why he was surrounded by the shadows that haunted me.

"If anything like that starts to happen, we just walk away." Marik explained, getting anxious as Yami picked up his pace and Yuugi had to jog a little to keep up with his brothers long legs.

It made sense, the shadows that seemed to have infiltrated my brain whispered that I should follow him, I should watch him, I should blame him, and then get revenge. I pushed them away, but even the logical part of my mind said that what Marik was saying made perfect sense, and I couldn't go back into school, I was too embarrassed, and too scared. Following Yami and Yuugi would give me something to do.

I sighed, "Right, let's go."

* * *

Ebony - YAY, THE FIRST CHAPTER XD Please R&R, every review is appreciated, even criticism!


	3. The Millenium Items

Fugitives: Of Light and Darkness –

Chapter 2 - The Millenium Items

Authoress – Ebony

Disclaimer – I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! , though, it would be fun if I did XD

Ebony – Page 3! Awesome! XD

* * *

**Marik's POV**

We set off after the Yami and Yuugi. Yuugi's usually cheery, immature features had become possessed by a serious expression, which I had never seen before on Yuugi. He looked exactly like Yami; it was getting difficult to tell the difference from this distance.

Ryou was looking slightly tormented; his wild hair flowing in the breeze and his eyes completely focused on Yami with a cold stare, for some, unknown reason.

We walked back the way we had come to school in silence, we followed Yami and Yuugi through the streets, feeling a little out of place in our blue school uniforms on a Tuesday. Yami stopped a little way outside the game shop where he was greeted by his Grandfather who was waiting for them axiously in the entrance to his shop.

I looked back curiously at Ryou who had finally stopped staring and had focused his wide, brown eyes on the ground. I began to wonder if it really was the best idea to follow Yami and Yuugi, but I wanted to know why the strange Egyptian puzzle around Yami's neck seemed so… so much darker than usual. Maybe I was selfish to drag my terrified friend out into public just to satisfy my curiosity.

However, were here now so we might as well finish what we started, why turn back now?

I watched as Yuugi followed his grandfather into the game shop.

"Come on." I whispered to Ryou, tugging at his sleeve to try and wake him up. I walked slowly over to the game shop entrance and hovered by the door, Ryou at my side, making sure that we remain out of sight of the people inside.

I could hear voices inside, the deep voice of Yami and the innocent voice of his twin, his other half. I couldn't make out the words though, so I leaned as close as I could to the door frame without looking too suspicious or being actually seen by anyone inside.

Yuugi's Grandfather had begun to talk,

"Thank you for getting here so quickly, I'm sorry to pull you out of your studies but this is important."

I tuned out the background noise and focused my full attention on the Motou's inside.

"What's wrong Grandpa?" Yuugi asked.

"It's the millennium items in the basement, well, the ring and the rod to be exact. You might want to come see for yourselves."

I heard heavy footfalls as Solomon Mouto exited the shop part of the home he shared with his two grandsons. I held my breath as two more pairs of feet followed him. I peered around the door frame and watched as Yami's back faded into the darkness of the back of the store.

I grabbed Ryou's arm, shaking him out of his thoughts and strode into the now empty shop. Looking past the eye catching duel monsters card packs, board games, figurines and comics.

"What now Marik?" Ryou frowned at me. I looked around, and began walking off in the direction of the Mouto twins without answering Ryou's question.

"Marik?"

Even I don't know what I'm doing, but I feel drawn to do it, as if I'm being pulled by invisible, yet unbreakable chains. My mind screams no, and yet, I know I have to go through with it.

I always have followed my heart and its emotions over my mind...

* * *

**RYOU'S POV**

"Marik?"

His eyes look glazed over, as he brushed past me. I ran after him, what is he doing?

"Marik?" … He can't hear me… either that or he doesn't want to.

Why wouldn't he want to listen? Maybe because he is feeling the same way I am. Dragged towards somewhere I have no idea about by some irresistible force. I follow Marik through another door whilst my mind rages against the shadows telling me to keep on searching, for what I don't know, but I guess I'll know when I see it.

"Marik! Where are we going? I've got a bad feeling about this… listen to me!" I grab his sleeve but he shrugs me off and carries on as if I'm not there. I can't jus leave him on his own though, or he's going to end up in trouble. So I follow him through the trapdoor which had been obscured by various items before Marik had thrown them aside. I could feel the darkness creeping on the walls as we descended down a flight of steps, fear and dread coursing through my body.

"Marik, please…" He stops, and then I hear voices and I know why, he drags me into a space in the wall and we hide in the darkness.

"What could this mean?" Yami pondered to himself.

"I don't know, Grandpa, the last time the items acted strange was around the time when I was born right? Maybe it's something like that…" Yuugi speculated.

"No Yuugi, that was different, the aura coming the items was good and strong, this time the air is filled with malevolence and disaster. Brrr, it sends shivers down my spine to be in such a presence." Solomon explained.

Yuugi sighed, I don't know what it means, but maybe we should keep surveillance on the items, just to be safe. It's our job as the future millennium protectors after all! We might as well get some practise. Who knows, we might even learn something about them." Yuugi said cheerfully, he always was always looking on the bright side.

"Your right Yuugi, we should go and bring some stuff down here though so we don't get bored, and some food. There is still quite a good part of the day to live through yet."

"I'll bring our decks down!" Yuugi yelled and ran off up the stairs, I held my breath as he ran past me, I felt a rush of wind hit my face moments after he ran past me.

"Yuugi, Come back!" Yami laughed and went after him. I cringed as the shadows reacted to his presence.

Finally, Solomon began plodding up the staircase, mumbling and groaning about his back and how he really should invest in something to carry him up the stairs, like an escalator.

At last, there was no-body around apart from me and Marik, I stepped out cautiously and continued proceeding down the old, worn steps. I gasped as I entered the chamber.

It was filled with Egyptian artefacts that littered the floor, scriptures and stone tablets hung from the walls, hieroglyphs were scattered on the walls. I gazed around in awe, trying to take it all in.

There was so much of it… and then it struck me. Why would Yami and Yuugi have all of this stuff? I mean, they lived with their grandpa who owned a game shop. What does that have to do with all of these priceless objects? They could easily become millionaires if they sold them, but then again, maybe they held sentimental value.

I halted my gazing feeling another tug at my heart and my head snapped over to Marik who was standing at the centre piece of the room, a huge stone tablet surrounded by gold items with an Egyptian eye on each of them. I strode over to him, my heart beat speeding up as I neared the tablet and the trinkets that surrounded it.

I stood over the tablet, peering down at it. There were holes in it that appeared to be meant for the items to be slotted into. I stared at the items on there pedestals, there was what looked to be a golden sphere with an eye carved into it. The were what also looked like a pair of old fashioned golden scales, a golden necklace, and few others, like the ankh and an odd item that resembled a sceptre with an extremely sharp edge. But there was in specific that caught my attention, a golden ring, adorned with that eye and five needles falling from its base.

I ached to reach out and grab but I held myself back and gazed at it, it is surrounded by the purple haze, but I ignore it, my mind racing with questions, what is its purpose… why is such a thing of beauty locked away down here in this basement?

I glanced at Marik he was reaching out to pick up the sceptre, "Marik, don't touch it!" I hissed, but he ignored me anyway and grasped it anyways. A black, purple haze shimmered around the sceptre and vanished.

I looked at it warily, and then Marik began to speak.

* * *

**MARIKS POV**

The very moment I picked up that rod, I knew it had been a bad idea and yet to be able to relieve that temptation made me feel so much better.

A shiver ran down my spine as I brought it to eye level and examined it closer.

"This is the millennium rod…" I muttered.

"What?" Ryou asked, looking puzzled.

"Huh? Oh, sorry, it's just that, this… thing, it kind of triggered a memory of when I was little." I smiled; it was one of the few memories of my younger childhood I cherished, you see, my childhood is kinda' twisted and tainted thanks to my father.

After my mother died, there was no-one left to control him, no-one there to soothe his temper, and without her, he took it out on either me or Odion. But there were moments when light would shine through the darkness, such as when Ishizu came home. Every time my sister came home, she would tell me of her findings and great Egyptian stories. My sister is an archaeologist and would always tell me of her journeys, like her tale of the millennium items…

**FLASHBACK**

"There are seven items in this world, the millennium puzzle, the millennium necklace, the millennium eye, the millennium scales, the millennium key, the millennium ring, and the millennium rod."

"What do they look like Ishizu?" I interrupted.

"Well, they are rumoured to be golden and each one had an Egyptian eye carved onto it, like this…" She picked up a pencil and paper from my bedside table and roughly sketched the millennium rod. "This is the eye that you would find on any of these seven mystical items," she tapped the sketch with the pencil.

"Ohhh… ok…" I nodded.

"It is unknown for what purpose these items were created, but on the ancient scriptures, it is said that a great battle will take place in the future, and these items will be at the centre of it, lending power to the bearers. But only the chosen few may wield there power." She finished ominously.

"Do you think I could wield a millennium item one day Ishizu?" I asked naively.

"Ahaha, maybe one day brother, we'll just have to see now won't we!" Sha smiled and laughed at my protesting as she ruffled my hair. "I think its time for you to go sleep now, or you won't get up in the morning!"

"Just one more story! Please sister!" I pleaded.

"No, you need your sleep, now go to bed." She gently pushed me back and pulled my covers up to my shoulders.

"Do you promise to still be here in the morning?" I asked, praying that she would say yes.

"I promise, now go to sleep!"

I smiled, feeling content, Ishizu never broke her promises, so I smiled and closed my eyes. "Goodnight sister…" I yawned.

"Goodnight brother, sleep well" I heard the door shutting faintly as my eyes drooped and I sank into sleep.

**PRESENT**

"My sister used to tell me of these items," I explained, turning over the rod in my hands. I looked over to Ryou who reached out and picked up the millennium ring, he frowned after doing so and I swear the room temperature fell a few degrees.

I named all the items on show in turn realising that one was missing. "I reckon Yuugi or Yami hold the real millennium puzzle, they can't both have the real one, there only exists one of each item after all." I said, my eyes drifting to the empty pedestal.

Suddenly I heard footsteps and voices echoing down into the chamber, I shared a look with Ryou saying that we had to leave, now. Whatever the Mouto's were doing hiding such relics down here was beyond me but I didn't think they would be too pleased if we got caught. I looked down at the millennium rod and debated whether to put it back. It had been a childhood dream to wield this thing, and now, here it is, in my hands… my fate depended on what I would do next, of course, it was impossible for me to have known that at the time.

I took off towards that small hole in the wall that we had hidden in before, the rod still within my clutches as I shrank into the safety of the shadows, sealing my fate.

"Marik," Ryou hissed and followed me, knowing Ryou he probably just forgot to put the ring back. He made it just in time, I saw a light at the top of the stair case and knew that Yami, Yuugi or their Grandpa was about to make their way down, we'd have to make a run for it.

I held back a snigger as Yami tripped up and steadied himself, despite the tense atmosphere I just wanted to laugh so badly, just to release some of the tension.

As soon as he had walked past and entered the chamber, I grabbed Ryou's arm and yanked him up the stairs, careful not to make him cry out or trip though, we didn't need to give ourselves away.

"Marik, we need to put these back!" I turned.

"Ryou, we don't have time for this! We need to go, and how would we give them back now? I'm sure that Yami will notice any second now and when you go to hand it to him… what will he think? He is going to think you stole it anyways, and there is also having to explain just what were doing inside there basement which I gathered was kinda' off limits, with the hidden door and everything. What would you say? Oh, I just started going a little crazy and seeing stuff that can't exist and they all seem to be radiating from you so I thought that I would stalk you."

I watched his expression turn pained and his eyes shifted to the floor, his white fringe falling over his eyes, I felt bad instantly.

"Look Ryou, I'm sorry, but we need to move! We can't explain now, he's never trusted us and any minute now, if we don't hurry up, we are going to get caught!"

"…you're right… but… I never told you that the shadows appeared to be coming from Yami…" Ryou looked up at me through his fringe and began jogging up the stairs, more silent than I could ever manage.

I said nothing, I don't think I was seeing them like Ryou was, his description had been a lot more vivid, and he had described more of them. You might put it down too exaggeration in the face of fear, but something in his face had told me it wasn't, it made my stomach turn imagining what Ryou may be seeing.

I followed Ryou and climbed out of the trap door, we had made it to the shop when we heard Yami shout, "QUICKLY, GRANDPA, YUUGI! THE ITEMS, THERE MISSING!" from below us.

I glanced at Ryou and then legged it out of the shop. Sincerely hoping no-one saw us leave, or remembered for that matter.

* * *

Ebony – Wow, I wrote quite a bit again : ), Hehe, as always, R&R, if you have any questions, go ahead and ask them. See you next chapter, and let me tell you, the next chapter should bbe quite a bit more exciting! ((I'm moving the rating up for violence next chapter ^_^)) Byee!


End file.
